1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for cutting rock by means of discharging a medium under high pressure from a nozzle head at a fixed oscillating angle. The apparatus contains a suitable nozzle head on a delivery line for a medium which is discharged under high pressure and with a fixed oscillating angle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A method and apparatus of this type are known. Great Britian Published Application No. 2 027 776A describes the cutting of solid bodies, e.g., from concrete, with reinforcement or from the surface layer of a street. However, this technique is not suitable for effectively and economically cutting rock from quarries into blocks of different useful sizes.
Rock has previously been cut by extracting blocks from the native standing rock through blasting and by cutting these blocks, for example, with diamond saws, during which much rubble is produced.
It is also known, for example, to advance in the rock through a combination of mechanical devices in conjunction with water jets under high pressure (Carrieres et Materiaux No. 215, November/December 1983, pp. 44-46). Moreover, a method is also known of imparting a rotation to a nozzle head by means of water under high pressure supplied through a rigid lance, in order to achieve a drilling effect. The disadvantage of this prior art is that it is possible only to either drill holes or to make only cuts of little depth.
In contrast to this, the object of the invention is to provide a process and an apparatus for making cuts of any depth and length or width and at any angle in rock. It is also an object of the invention to prevent cracking of the rock which is to be extracted. Such cracking occurs, for example, during extraction by means of blasting.